The present invention relates to vehicle seats and in particular to a vehicle rear seat with a head restraint that is retractable to reduce the height of the head restraint to improve rearward visibility for the driver.
Seat assemblies with a retractable head rest as described above are generally known as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,933. A typical arrangement for such seats is to provide a mechanism for rotating the head rest from an upright position to a forwardly rotated stowed position by a mechanism disposed within the seat back. The retracting mechanism is coupled to the head rest posts that extend upward from the upper end of the seat back to mount the head rest. The posts are rotated through an arc of approximately 90.degree. to retract the head rest. This requires slotted openings in the seat cover and in the seat back cushion to enable forward rotation of the posts. To provide such a retracting head rest requires significant modification of the seat back from a conventional seat back that does not have a retractable head rest. The seat back frame may also require revisions.
The seat assembly of the present invention provides a retracting head rest, the mechanism of which is contained within the body at the head rest itself, such that no modification of the seat back is required. The head rest is mounted to fixed posts extending from the seat back. These posts can be mounted to the seat back through the same head rest mounting sleeves used to mount a conventional, non-retracting head rest. The mechanism for rotating the head rest to the retracted position and for latching the head rest in the upright use position is contained within the head rest body. A vertical head rest adjustment mechanism as well as a mechanism for rotatably adjusting the head rest use position are also provided within the head rest body.
Preferably, the head rest can be retracted via a remote actuating switch positioned close to the vehicle driver seat. This enables the driver, while driving the vehicle, to retract the head rest when needed to improve visibility when the rear seat is not occupied. Preferably, the head rest is retracted by rotating forwardly and downwardly such that it extends forward from the front surface of the seat back. In this position, it will be noticeably out of position such that a subsequent seat occupant will be alerted to the need to return the head rest to its use position.
An advantage of the retractable head rest of the present invention is that the same seat back can be used in a vehicle sold where a retracting head rest is required to meet local requirements and sold in a country where such a retracting head rest is not required. Only minimal modification of the seat back is necessary, that being the provision of a wire, cable, etc., through the seat back to actuate the retracting head rest. The seat back frame, cushion, and front cover are unchanged.